Three cheers for Jinelle Esther
Dallas means one of two things _ football or oil. Brian Crisp spoke with an Australian girl Jinelle Esther who is creating a buzz as part of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and visited the home of the greatest oil barren in the history of television, Mr J. R. Ewing.
Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Jinelle Esther is living her dream.
The Melbourne fitness instructor is heading into her second season as a cheerleader with the biggest sporting franchise in the world.
Football
BC. Culturally, it’s a long way from Australia to Dallas, what’s the biggest difference for you?
Jinelle Esther: The driving! On the other side of the road as well as much faster than we are used to in Australia (much stricter road rules back home!) Also, the food. I think generally the culture of fast food /drive through dining options are much more common here.
BC: When friends or family members come to visit where is the first place you take them to show them the real Dallas?
Jinelle Esther: The stadium of course! AT&T Stadium is very overwhelming and super exciting for visitors from everywhere! I would also take my family to Fort Worth to share with them the country/western atmosphere as well as authentic cowboy cultures.
BC: What are your favourite spots for breakfast?
Jinelle Esther: Bread Winners restaurants are a nice experience, and they have a broad menu.
BC: What about dinner? What places do you like to eat at?
Jinelle Esther: HG Supply in Lower Greenville is my favourite, its a fun vibe and they have a very clean, fresh and organic menu. I also love shopping at WholeFoods for healthy options to have during our busy practice schedule.
Best place to shop in Dallas
BC: Where do you do your fashion shopping? Any tips for readers on how to get the best bargains?
Jinelle Esther: Belk at the Gallaria Dallas is a great choice for shopping! They stock several fashion brands and run sales and specials often.
BC: What’s your favourite day trip from Dallas?
Jinelle Esther: I absolutely love Austin! It’s a fun little get away road trip with the mates and there’s so much to do and enjoy there.
BC: Apart from Dallas, what’s your favourite part of America, and why?
Jinelle Esther: New York City. I was lucky enough to get to visit last year and fell in love with the energy and excitement and constant buzz around the city! Also, there are so many wonderful places to take dance classes, with some of the best choreographers in the world. Not to mention all the incredible Broadways you can see!! Wow!
BC: Tipping is something foreign for most Australians, what’s the correct amount to tip?
Jinelle Esther: I am still trying to get used to this custom! I’ve been told it varies according to the activity, however I believe 15-18 percent is standard here.
Oil
Dallas Mavericks basketball power forward Dirk Nowitzki recently gave TV presenter Conan O’Brien an on-air Texas citizenship test.
Here’s the first question …
Who founded Texas? O’Brien smiled and answered: J. R. Ewing of course. It went downhill from there.
J.R. Ewing, leering under that big Stetson, for many of us defines Texas _ and more specifically Dallas.
He was the villain _ the man we loved to hate _ on that TV show for 357 episodes over 14 years. It started on April 2 in 1978 and stopped on May 3, 1991. It has made a comeback again now _ and is going well in the States _ but the death of actor Larry Hagman means we will never see J.R. Ewing again.
The family behind the TV oil dynasty, the Ewings, lived on the cattle-ranching land of Southfolk. Much to my delight it really does exist and if you are in Dallas and care to drive 40-minutes out of the city you can take a seat on J.R. Ewing’s chair in the family parlour. You can take in the view from Miss Ellie’s porch or gasp in awe at the size of Jock Ewing’s Lincoln Mark V car.
You now how everything in supposed to be bigger in Texas?
Southfolk defies Texas mantra
Well much to my surprise Southfolk isn’t. The Ewing family home, which is no longer a working ranch, is about the size of an average Australian four-bedroom home.
Sally Peavy is my guide as we walk around Southfolk. With her perfectly coiffured blonde hair and sweet-as-peach Texan drawl she could have walked straight from the set of the series. She knows more about the TV show than anyone should and talks about the characters as if they are friends, not fictional.
As we walk from the obligatory Dallas souvenir shop past and amazing array of memorabilia from the show Sally whispers as she shares the secrets of the stars.
Not much of the original Dallas series was filmed on location at Southfolk. The cast would arrive about once a season to shoot certain scenes. Most of it was shot in LA. And when they rebuilt Southfolk’s kitchen in LA they built it three times the size of the original hence giving the impression that Southfolk was this sprawling grand old home.
The new series however is filmed in Dallas and Southfolk is one of the key locations. It takes about an hour to walk around the property but if you are a fan of the show then it’s well worth the drive out there.
Other things to do in Dallas
Dine at the Savor Gastropub at Klyde Warren Park. The park itself is a 5.2 acre deck park built over the Woodall Rodgers Freeway which connects Uptown, Downtown and the Arts District. The Savor Gastropub sits in the middle of the park and offers a whole lot of traditional dishes done with a modern twist.
Go shopping at the NorthPark Center (8687 N Central Expy, Dallas). It is a $20 cab ride from Downtown and was recently voted one of the “7 Retail wonders of the modern World”. It is big brand therapy for those who love to shop.
Where to Stay
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd. This is one of Texas’s grand old hotels. Originally a family home Rosewood Mansion is just outside the main city centre. www.rosewoodhotels.com